I had wandered for many ages of the men on the shores of this world, far,
far, from the lands I knew in the past. Many times I had travelled to far
lands, and always I had been drawn back to this place.

I was surprised that I was still alive, that I had not faded into a lost
wraith wandering aimlessly. Still, I looked much as I always had. A lonely
life, that of a wanderer, perhaps like my brother I should have killed
myself years ago, but I lacked the courage for that.

I looked up the beach, away to the horizon, my elvish eyes allowing me to
see far off in the distance a woman walking aimlessly as I. I wondered if I
should speak to her, I did not often talk to others, but today was
different, today was the anniversary of the day I threw the Silmaril into
the Sea.

I was depressed and lonely, and I decided I would walk down the beach and
see if the woman would speak to me. I did not think she would, mortal women
were afraid of me; few would ever speak to me.

The walk was quite long; the wind was sharp and strong today, blowing
little particles of sand with it. I was close enough to see the woman was
fairly young, her hair red-brown, and her dress blowing against her legs in
the wind. Her feet were bare, like mine, and she carried a bag of some
kind. She looked nice, a kind face, I thought, and I decided that I would
speak to her.

She was close now, and she smiled at me, clearly pleased to see another on
the beach on such a windy wild day.

I spoke to her, 'you are walking far today?' I asked, once I would have
called her Lady, but times had changed and that was no longer appropriate.

'Yes I am', she answered, 'and yourself?' she questioned. She then cast a
thoughtful gaze on me; 'I think I saw you here last year?'

I was surprised. It was many years since a mortal had surprised me, and for
and instant I contemplated lying to her, but I changed my mind, she would
see through me, I was sure.

'Yes, I was here last year. It is something I do every year,' I said.

'An anniversary' she queried me.

'Yes', was the answer she got.

'A sad one too, from the look in your eyes', she said.

A perceptive lady', I said, my face turned out to sea now.

'You yearn for something?' Another question.

'Something forbidden to me', I replied, wondering why I spoke so to a
mortal who could know nothing of me.

She smiled in an understanding way, 'Something sad, that you don't want to
talk about?'

'Once again, a perceptive lady', I said quietly.

'Then we won't talk of it. Perhaps you would join me in my walk? I'm
looking for shells and driftwood for a friends fish tank.'

'I should like to walk with you', I said.

We did walk far that day, and many things we found on the beach, for there
had been a king tide the night before. Strange fish, and seaweed from the
deep sea, some of which neither of us could identify.

As we walked, we talked, and when the lady discovered I had nowhere to
stay, no home to go to, and she invited me to home for a meal, and a bed
for the night. Lonely for human company, I accepted.

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.